Anyone who has ever decided to start their own business knows how difficult it can be to break through the noise and reach the top of their chosen industry. In some circumstances, it can even seem impossible. How do you reach your market with a blog when there are over 100 million blogs out there in cyberspace already?

How is your website going to set you apart from your competitors when there are hundreds of millions of websites out there right this second? Often, a lot of entrepreneurs give up their dreams of starting a business because the deck seems so incredibly stacked against them from the start. It’s not a lack of passion or hard work, but of authority.

What is the work you’re putting in right now that will separate you from your competitors? How are you differentiating yourself in your niche market that’s making the industry sit up and pay attention? How are you reaching new clients and customers in a way that is unique and engaging? The people are hungry for content, yet a lot of business owners do the bare minimum, hoping they take off like a rocket.

As the internet continues to expand into many different realms and markets, there will be no shortage of opportunities to come up with the next big idea, but also no shortage of competition. Intense competition means you can either take a backseat and hope something turns viral or you can take the bull by its horns and step up your game.

Being a Leader is Never Easy

Coming from a position of authority isn’t easy for everyone. Some people seem to be born leaders while others are content holding back for the sake of self-preservation. Being a leader means being vulnerable and open to attack. Let’s use McDonalds as an example. McDonald’s is at the very top of all the fast food restaurants, both in profits and the number of restaurants available. They’ve cornered the market.

How did McDonald’s get to the top? Was it because they have the best hamburgers? No. The best customer service? Not really. The answer is, they provided value to their customers. They were different and vastly stood out. The same goes for becoming an authority figure. You don’t have to be the world’s number one expert at what you do. You just have to be good enough to continue growing and expanding while providing value in an underutilized market.

The problem is, it’s human nature to sink below the waterline and not be different from the crowd. We fear confrontation and everyone else in your market will be trying to take you down. Is McDonald’s the unhealthiest of all the fast food chains? Again, not really. There are other companies that have vastly greater portions, but because McDonalds is at the top, they get most the bad press.

But being the leader is worth it. Everyone around the world recognizes the Golden Arches. Despite not being the best at what they do, they still reign as the true king of fast food sales, and it’s not even close. In 2014, McDonalds brought in $35 billion in sales, while their closest competitor, Subway, only brought in $12 billion. How did they do it, while overcoming the attacks that routinely come from competitors? AUTHORITY.

Educate Your Audience with Content

If you have been paying any attention whatsoever to the leaders of many industries, there is one thing they do that really sets them apart from anyone else. They don’t remain focused on their business goals exclusively. They’re still pulling in big bucks, but they take advantage of their platform to step outside of their comfort zone.

If you’ve spent many years cultivating knowledge, gaining experience, and slaying obstacles, it’s one thing to use that to build your own business, but something else altogether to help lift other people out of the mud. You see, a lot of these top people in their field gain almost a celebrity status. How? With content.

Most of them have a book. They have blogs. They’re constantly sharing different strategies they picked up in their own journey that helps someone else lower on the totem pole overcome a challenge in their own business. And when that happens, what does it do for the guy on top? What did he just create by helping others? He gained respect and authority.

This is truly how you become an industry leader. People flock to you and are more willing to open their wallets to you if they know you have something to offer. If you’re the person taking care of their needs, then you’re set for life.